


You Can Stand Under My Umbrella

by HazelBeka



Series: 101 Uses for a Barrier Seal [7]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Hatake Kakashi, Found Family, Gen, M/M, pre-genin Naruto, seals master Iruka, starts with angst and ends with feel good fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-11
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:27:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22666246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelBeka/pseuds/HazelBeka
Summary: Iruka shelters Naruto from the rain. It’s a small kindness, but it’s more than anyone else has shown him. Kakashi vows to follow his example
Relationships: Hatake Kakashi & Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka, Umino Iruka & Uzumaki Naruto
Series: 101 Uses for a Barrier Seal [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/373676
Comments: 94
Kudos: 1370





	1. Part I

Kakashi looked up as he felt the first drops of rain on his bare shoulders. It had been cloudy since morning, and he’d been idly making bets with himself about when the clouds would finally burst. There wasn’t much else to do when out on patrol, not that he minded the time alone with his thoughts. As the rain became heavier, he glanced down at the street below and saw several children hurrying into a house. A window shut not far below the rooftop he was perched on, and Kakashi felt his solitude grow deeper.

He liked the rainy season. It was early June, the air hot and humid, and the rain pattering into his hair and trickling down beneath his mask was a relief. Kakashi hated the ANBU armour in the summer. It was too heavy, too hot, it made him sweat in places he hadn’t known he had sweat glands, and the cloudy days were the only thing that made it bearable. He stood a little while and let the water dampen his trousers and slide into the gaps between armour and skin. It felt fresh and clean and cool.

The neighbourhood he was patrolling was just south of the village centre. The streets were neat, lined with flowers, and self-consciously middle class. From his vantage point, Kakashi had a view down into a small park with a children’s play area, and the residential street that ran alongside it. The houses here were mostly family homes, owned by jounin who spent most of their time in the village – perhaps some of Kakashi’s ANBU colleagues lived here – and the more well-off chuunin with stable, important jobs. Kakashi couldn’t imagine himself living somewhere like this, but he liked to watch these kinds of streets. From above, they were toy houses with toy people living inside. Commercial-perfect domestic bliss. He liked to imagine the dramas that went on under the surface, the tiny cracks in those porcelain lives.

Today, however, his attention had been drawn by someone who didn’t belong.

He glanced down into the park to check that the child was still there. He was. A young, blond boy had been hanging around in the park by himself, staying close to the trees and watching four other children playing on the swings and slide. He was eight years old, around the same age as the other kids, but he didn’t go to join them and they didn’t so much as glance at him. Maybe they hadn’t noticed him at all. But Kakashi had.

Uzumaki Naruto was often alone. Kakashi saw him sometimes in the streets of Konoha. It reminded him of his own childhood, of how he could have ended up if no one had wanted to be his friend. Were children crueller these days, or were the differences between himself and Naruto that pronounced? He knew from watching Naruto that this was not a child who wanted to be alone or who could look after himself – not well, anyway. This was a child who ached for attention and would do anything to get it. Except on days like today when he stood quietly and watched. The days, Kakashi imagined, when he realised how futile all his efforts were.

The playground was empty now, but Naruto hadn’t moved from his spot under the tree. Maybe he was waiting for the shower to pass, but Kakashi didn’t think so. It was the way he was looking at the swings. Like he was trying to work himself up to something but didn’t quite have the nerve. He wanted to play, knew this was his chance, and knew also that he didn’t want to play alone.

Kakashi had seen Naruto in this park before. Had seen that look in his eyes before. The way he felt about Naruto changed with his moods. On a good day, when the night he’d lost his sensei was chained securely eight years in the past, he pitied the child. But on the bad days, he saw only the monster and the lives that had been lost to contain it. Kakashi didn’t like himself on his bad days. He didn’t like the dark thoughts he harboured towards Minato and Kushina’s child, but he hadn’t yet figured out how to banish them.

Today was a good day. The rainy days were usually good. He found himself willing Naruto to find whatever he needed to go and play on the swings – the courage, the rebellion, the childlike innocence that Kakashi knew he still had, despite the way the village treated him. You can do it, he silently urged. Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t.

As if he could hear, Naruto took two hesitant steps out from beneath the tree. Immediately, dark spots appeared on his clothes where the raindrops hit him, and Naruto looked up at the sky, blinking at the water. Then he looked again at the playground, and Kakashi looked again too. At the wet seats of the swings, the beads of water trickling down the chains, the grey emptiness.

Naruto’s shoulders slumped. He turned around and trudged out of the park, back onto the street, not trying to outrun the rain. He lived further south, Kakashi knew, in the old, derelict side of the village that had been slated for demolition for as long as Kakashi could remember. It was a fair walk from here for a child, maybe half an hour. The rain wasn’t heavy, but Naruto would be soaked by the time he got home.

Kakashi wasn’t sure why he decided to follow him. He kept to the rooftops, out of sight, matching the boy’s slow pace. He might have followed him all the way home, but they didn’t even make it to the end of the street before someone called out.

A young man, perhaps twenty years old, ran along the street, calling Naruto’s name. His dark hair was pulled up in a ponytail, and he looked familiar but Kakashi couldn’t place him until he saw the scar across the man’s nose. It had been a few years, but he remembered a boy who used to place traps around the Hokage Tower. Another orphan boy hungry for attention. Kakashi couldn’t remember his name or what had happened to him, but he was certain this was the same person.

“Iruka-sensei!” Naruto said. Kakashi noted with interest that he perked up at the sight of Iruka, like a flower raising its head to the sun.

“What are you doing out here in the rain?” Iruka asked. “You’re getting soaked.”

“So are you.”

Iruka ran a hand through his ponytail, flicking off some of the water.

“I guess I am,” he said. “The rain always feels so good at first on a hot day, but there’s such a thing as too much.”

“Why didn’t you bring an umbrella?” Naruto scolded. “We could have shared it.”

“Why didn’t _you_?” Iruka shot back.

“Because you’re meant to be the responsible grown-up.”

Iruka raised his hands in defeat, looking thoroughly amused.

“You’ve got me there,” he said. “But I think I know a way we can stay dry.” He reached a hand into his trouser pocket and bent down a little, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, so that Kakashi had to strain to hear. “Want to see something cool?”

Naruto nodded, eyes wide with anticipation.

A barrier materialised above them, curving down as far as their shoulders and then ending, suspended in the air. Naruto didn’t see it at first, but he noticed that the rain had stopped, holding up a hand and looking at it in confusion.

“Iruka-sensei, you can stop the rain?” he asked in wonder.

Iruka laughed. “I wish. Look up.”

Naruto did, and his mouth formed a round o.

“It’s a ninja umbrella,” he said. “A ninjabrella.”

“That’s a catchy name,” Iruka said, nodding approvingly. “Mind if I steal it? Or, better yet, how about I pay you for it by cooking you a meal.”

“You can’t cook, Iruka-sensei,” Naruto said flatly.

Iruka pretended to smack him, and Naruto ducked and grinned.

“Like you could do any better,” Iruka said. “OK, fine, I’ll buy us takeout on the way home. Deal?”

Naruto hesitated. “My home?”

“Mine’s closer.”

Naruto looked relieved, and Iruka pretended not to notice.

“Come on, let’s go.”

He started walking, one hand still in his pocket to touch the seal, and Naruto trotted along by his side, craning his neck back so he could watch the barrier floating above them, his voice raised in questions about how it worked, about what food they were going to eat, and the last question Kakashi heard him ask before they disappeared from view was whether Iruka could teach him to make his own ninjabrella. Then they were gone.

Kakashi stayed a while longer in the same place, staring after them, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He’d thought he was the only one watching over the kid, and only in the most passive sense, but it seemed that he’d been wrong. There was someone doing a much better job, someone Kakashi could learn a thing or two from.

The next time he saw Naruto, he would be different. The boy didn’t know him, but that didn’t matter. If Iruka could make Naruto smile just by offering him shelter from the rain then Kakashi could do at least that much.

He looked around, and finding that he was completely alone, he pulled his mask to the side, breathing in the scent of wet pavements and the ripening plums in the trees. He tilted his head back, tugging down his other mask and closing his eyes, letting the cool drops fall on his face and listening to the peaceful patter of the rain.


	2. Part II

Once Kakashi had become aware of Iruka, he saw him everywhere. Sometimes with Naruto, sometimes with other chuunin, and sometimes, but rarely, alone. Iruka was one of those people who attracted others, and he seemed to know half the village. He could barely walk down a street without somebody greeting him. It made Kakashi wonder how he’d never noticed him before.

He’d been watching Naruto too in the three weeks since the rainy day when he’d spied him with Iruka. Nothing had changed, not even the weather, which was still humid and drizzly. Naruto still tried to play with the other kids, but was constantly rebuffed, and eventually he always retreated to watch from the sidelines. Kakashi wanted to do something, but he didn’t know what. He couldn’t order the other kids to stop being little shits. Well, maybe he could try but he didn’t think Naruto would want him to. 

He was patrolling the same neighbourhood as last time when he spotted Naruto at the park again. At first, Naruto stood by the trees, watching three other kids playing, and then he steeled his nerves and went over, doing a bad impression of casual, and sat on one of the swings. He didn’t look directly at the other kids, but he glanced their way, hoping they’d notice him.

They did notice him. They moved away from the swings and started playing on the grass instead, a game of tag, shouting and laughing. Naruto sat on the swing, not moving, staring at the ground. Kakashi’s jaw tightened. It wasn’t right, but there was nothing he could do.

A light rain started falling. It was little more than a drizzle, but one of the girls started complaining, and so the kids left, hurrying back towards the street and the doll-like houses where they lived with their happy families. Kakashi watched them go from the rooftop, sending silent curses after them. May you know hunger, may you know loneliness, may you learn compassion.

Naruto was still sitting on the swing. He rested one leg on the ground and swung himself back and forth the smallest amount. If only he had one person. One friend to play with him. If only Iruka were here. But there was no one except Naruto and himself.

Kakashi dropped silently to the ground and approached Naruto from behind. Naruto didn’t see him coming until Kakashi sat on the swing next to his, and then he jumped and turned to look at Kakashi with wide eyes. Kakashi wished he wasn’t in his ANBU uniform. He didn’t want to scare the boy, but it wasn’t like he could take off his mask, so Naruto would have to take him or leave him.

“I bet I can swing higher than you,” he said, and started swinging back and forth.

And just like that there was a spark in Naruto’s eyes. His shoulders straightened and his chin jutted up.

“Cannot!”

He kicked his legs hard, face set with determination, and the two of them rose higher and higher.

“You can kick pretty hard for having such tiny legs,” Kakashi said.

“It’s cheating to have long legs!”

Kakashi looked down at his legs contemplatively. “I’m not sure there’s anything I can do to shorten them.”

Naruto looked at him sidelong as they passed each other, swinging forwards as Kakashi swung back. They were at an almost equal height despite their difference in size.

“I bet I can jump further than you,” Naruto said.

“Jump?”

“Haven’t you ever jumped off a swing before?” Naruto asked scornfully. “Like this.”

On his next swing forwards, he threw himself off as his swing reached its apex. Kakashi tensed, but he landed on his feet, only stumbling a little before turning and looking at Kakashi expectantly.

“Your turn.”

Kakashi let his swing slow, holding up his hands. “No thanks, that looks way too scary for me.”

Naruto scoffed but he held himself up proudly. “I win then.” He looked around at the other playground equipment. “You want to play something else?”

Just then, the heavens opened and the rain bucketed down. Naruto threw his hands over his head, sending a frustrated look up at the clouds, but before he could say anything the rain stopped. A barrier had formed over the whole playground, the rain drumming on the top and running down the sides in rivulets. Kakashi turned around and saw Iruka standing at the edge of the playground just inside the barrier and holding a seal. He was looking straight back at Kakashi with his head tilted to one side.

“Iruka-sensei, this is a _huge_ ninjabrella,” Naruto said, running over to him.

Iruka smiled. “You basically have your own indoor playground now. Pretty cool, huh?”

“It’s really cool! But you said you’d make me an orange one.”

“You’re so demanding.” Iruka rolled his eyes. “I haven’t figured out how to do colours yet but I’m working on it, OK?”

“I didn’t know you designed seals, Iruka-sensei,” Kakashi said. Iruka looked over at him in surprise.

“Sorry, have we met?” he asked, cheeks flushing.

“No, but I’ve seen you around. You’re a teacher at the Academy, right?”

“That’s right.” Iruka seemed flustered for some reason. He rubbed at the scar across his nose and looked down before glancing back up. “Um, I can let you out if you need to go.”

“It would be embarrassing if I left now after Naruto beat me at jumping. I need to regain my honour.”

Naruto’s chest puffed up and he grabbed Iruka’s arm.

“Did you see me jump? I went _so_ far, and that weird masked guy was too scared to try.”

“Naruto, don’t call ANBU-san a weird masked guy,” Iruka scolded, his face heating even more. It was kind of cute.

“I am a weird masked guy,” Kakashi admitted, and Iruka spluttered, trying to apologise. Kakashi waved him off, amused. “Though I do have a name.”

“Oh yeah?” Naruto asked. “What is it?”

“Hound.”

Naruto pulled a face. “That’s not a name!”

“It’s my super secret code name,” Kakashi said seriously. “I can trust you with it, right? You won’t go selling me out to any evil villains who come asking?”

“I can keep a secret,” Naruto said at once. He gravitated back towards Kakashi. “So who are the bad guys? Do you need me to fight them? I’m a really great ninja, I can fight anyone.”

“Well, since you’re offering,” Kakashi said, leaning down so he could speak in a stage whisper, “I think Iruka-sensei might be a bad guy. Will you help me catch him?”

Iruka grinned, finally relaxing. “Curse you, Hound-san, you figured me out,” he said. “But you’ll never take me alive!”

They spent the next half an hour chasing Iruka around the playground. At one point Iruka escaped up the wall of the barrier and Kakashi lifted Naruto up onto his shoulders so he could reach to try and grab Iruka as they chased him. Eventually they cornered him against the slide, and Naruto tackled him, hugging him around the waist and yelling in delight.

Iruka seemed almost as elated as Naruto. Strands of hair had come loose from his ponytail and he was panting lightly from the workout but smiling widely. He hugged Naruto with a burst of impulsive affection, and Naruto squeezed him even tighter. Kakashi enjoyed watching them. It made his heart feel lighter.

Outside the barrier, the rain had eased off a little but was still coming down steadily. As much as Kakashi enjoyed rainy days, he wasn’t looking forward to the rest of his patrol. He’d much rather stay here with Naruto and Iruka, but he’d already skived off work enough for one day.

“Now our mission’s over, I should probably go,” he said.

Naruto turned to him in dismay, and Kakashi felt strangely touched that this boy who didn’t even know his name wanted him to stay.

“Will you come and play again?” he asked.

“Sure. You’ve still got to teach me how to jump off a swing.”

“I will!”

Iruka came over and held out a slip of paper. It was a seal, some kind of barrier from what Kakashi could discern, but not quite the same as the standard barrier seals he was used to.

“It’s a ninjabrella,” Iruka said, and then blushed. “I mean, that’s what Naruto calls it. It’ll keep you dry. It can’t be fun being out in the rain all day.”

“You’re a lifesaver,” Kakashi said. “I was just thinking I didn’t want to get soaked.” He liked Iruka, he suddenly realised. He liked him a lot.

Iruka lowered his voice. “Thanks. For this. You really made him happy.”

“I was just following your lead,” Kakashi admitted. “Carry on being a great example to the rest of us and I’m sure others will come around.”

Iruka blinked at him, stunned, but then Naruto grabbed his arm and tugged, and anything he might have said was smothered. He gave Kakashi one last lingering look and then let down the barrier and set them free.

He and Naruto ran away through the rain, splashing through puddles, Iruka having given away his only ninjabrella. Kakashi activated the seal as he watched them go, the barrier shimmering into being over his head. It was a strangely comforting presence, as though Iruka was standing beside him and holding an umbrella over them both.

When they reached the end of the street, Iruka glanced back over his shoulder and Kakashi raised a hand. Iruka waved back, and then they were gone.

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this while Storm Ciara was battering at my windows on Sunday, so really the ninjabrella is just another of my wish-fulfilment fantasies. This fic has a very different tone to most of the oneshots in my barrier seals series (and it isn't even a oneshot!), and it's very light on the kakairu, I know, but I have a real weakness for Naruto realising he has two older brother figures who aren't perfect but do the best they can to look after him. You can pry his happiness from my cold, dead fingers
> 
> EDIT - the amazing and talented reiney drew some fanart inspired by a couple of fics in this series! They're so cute, please head along to her blog and check it out [here](https://reineydraws.tumblr.com/post/639546357241217024/me-just-one-kakairu-doodle-with-anbukakashi-to)


End file.
